Waterfront Toronto takes Mayor Chow on tour of area from Lake Ontario

The ongoing development of the waterfront was centre stage Tuesday with Waterfront Toronto and George Brown College hosting Mayor Olivia Chow and others on a boat to discuss what’s happening right now and what’s still badly needed. 

“There was never a big federal or provincial plan for the Waterfront to the east. And you can really see the difference. So as we take this tour, you’re gonna see a much less evolved part of the waterfront that is really turning into this city within a city as we move along,” said Chris Glaisek, Chief Planning and Design Officer at Waterfront Toronto

 Those on board the boat were asked to envision what is now the empty land and condos now under construction as future communities in Quayside and Villiers Island.

“One hundred and 30 thousand new people, 75,000 new homes 50,000 new employees all coming in the future, mixed-use, mixed income and with parks and public spaces and employees to celebrate,” said Joe Cressy, former City Councillor and now a senior VP at George Brown College. 

As CityNews first reported a couple of weeks ago, the City wants to push ahead with plans for an LRT along the eastern waterfront and into the Port Lands, much like the streetcars on Queens Quay West.

“We want to begin the process of planning this very much-needed waterfront LRT because you can’t have thousands and thousands of residents coming in and not able to serve as the area,” said Chow.

But, help from other governments will be needed to eventually complete the project.

“We will be putting aside $65 million to start building and planning but we need the federal and the provincial government to give us a new deal so that they can then come in and help us build the waterfront LRT,” Chow added.

Approval to further the Waterfront LRT planning will be before city council on Wednesday.